Frontier Airlines back in Reno starting Thanksgiving

After going through the toughest recession in its history, Northern Nevada has seen its fair share of economic development victories. Here's a list of some of the major developments for the region in recent years.
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Frontier returning to Reno as part of major expansion to 21 new cities

A Frontier Airbus A321 passes under the landmark pedestrian bridge at Denver International Airport on May 7, 2017.(Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special for USA TODAY)

Ten years after leaving the Reno market amid the recession, one airline will be returning to the Biggest Little City just in time for Thanksgiving.

Frontier Airlines will start service between Reno and Denver on Nov. 21, according to the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority.

The Reno service is part of a major expansion by Frontier, which is adding 21 new cities and 85 new routes. Frontier also plans to nearly double its nonstop routes to 314 by the summer of next year.

“Our growing network will provide more than 1,000 new connecting route options,” said Barry Biffle, president and CEO of Frontier Airlines. “By taking advantage of our natural share of connecting passengers, we can offer our low fares to even more of America.”

The new route marks a return to Reno-Tahoe International Airport for the Denver-based airline company, which last served Reno on September 2007. Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority President and CEO Marily Mora described Frontier ’s return as a sign of the continued economic improvement seen by the area after running into some rough turbulence during the Great Recession.

“This brings us to a total of nine airlines serving our airport,” Mora said. ““Landing Frontier back in our region really is a testament to the area’s economic success.”

A Frontier Airbus A320 is leaded for its next flight from Denver International Airport on May 7, 2017.(Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special for USA TODAY)

Frontier Airlines service between Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) and Denver International Airport (DEN) will run three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Flights will depart Reno at 1:10 p.m. and arrive in Denver at 4:21 p.m. Flights will leave Denver at 10:55 a.m. and arrive in Reno at 12:19 p.m. Each flight comprises 180 seats on an Airbus 320.

As part of its return to Reno, Frontier will offer introductory fares that could run as low as $49 one-way between Reno and the Mile High City.

Frontier joins Southwest Airlines and United Airlines in serving the Denver market from Reno. The airline company flies to 55 cities via 275 daily flights in the United States, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Frontier's biggest expansion surge will come in Denver, the carrier's hometown and biggest hub. With the move, Frontier appears to be refocusing on its Denver hub after several years of emphasizing growth elsewhere. Frontier will be adding more than 20 new destinations to its Denver flight schedule, suggesting that it's looking to funnel more connecting passengers through the airport.

As for Frontier's 21 “new” destinations, 16 are cities that the company had served previously before discontinuing service. The five entirely new cities joining Frontier’s route map are Buffalo; Charleston, S.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Ontario, Calif.; and Pensacola, Fla.

Elsewhere, Frontier is adding dozens of routes between cities it already serves. Among destinations getting a significant bump-up in new service are Austin, Cincinnati, Long Island/Islip, N.Y., Miami, Milwaukee, Orlando, Providence, San Antonio and Tampa. Each of those cities is slated to get anywhere from six to 12 new routes in Frontier's latest expansion.

In a somewhat unusual move, however, Frontier listed a number of new routes without providing specific start dates. Those routes will launch in the spring, though the exact dates are still to be determined.

Frontier's latest growth spurt will be enabled both by an expanding fleet and by adjusting frequencies on existing routes. On the fleet side, Frontier's all-Airbus fleet is expected to grow to 76 jets by the end of 2018 — up from 63 at the end of 2016, according to the airline. The carrier also will trim schedules on existing routes to free up planes for its latest expansion. Frontier's Denver-Las Vegas schedule, for example, will go from four daily flights to three once the new schedules begin. Other routes, such as Denver-Memphis, will go from daily service to a less-than-daily schedule.